We accelerate discovery and technology to revitalize America’s textile industry.
When these advances move successfully from labs to markets, they drive economic resilience and create employment opportunities in regions traditionally left out of the technology boom of the past few decades.
Southern United States
Our region has the largest concentration of textile expertise in our country.
Our Engine builds on generational knowledge, catalyzes innovation, and drives the resurgence of the textile economy.
Research
Discovering Solutions to Societal Challenges
Textiles have the power to solve grand challenges across industries. From life-saving medical technologies to protective materials and everyday comfort, we provide necessary resources to accelerate discovery from molecule to market.
From Research to Readiness: FIBR-Tech
Our Fiber-Based Innovations for Regenerative Technologies (FIBR-Tech) Fund provides direct funding to high-priority research and feeds into integrated research pathways that support innovations across technology readiness levels.
Partnering to Accelerate Innovation
Collaboration with our core partners brings together unmatched expertise and capabilities. These resources include research labs, pilot production, and testing facilities to support scientific discovery.
Fiber to Future
Our research priorities include:
These priorities are already in motion.
Translation
Research to Real-World Solutions
The Textile Innovation Engine drives breakthrough solutions to reach commercial scale and deliver real-world impact.
Rubbish to Raw Materials
The U.S. generates over 17 million tons of textile waste annually – a societal challenge we’re transforming into an economic opportunity.
Our Circular Textile Consortium turns post-consumer and production waste into valuable new raw materials.
Through collaboration, we identify the daunting challenges and bring solutions through advancements in science and technology.
Seed to Super-Natural
Textile-quality hemp is the next big natural fiber.
Hemp offers remarkable durability, natural resistance to mold and mildew, breathability, hypoallergenic properties, and UV protection.
The Textile Hemp Consortium is reclaiming America’s leadership in this regenerative crop to capitalize on a growing U.S. market valued at $1.8B.
The Engine Advantage
Textile challenges that no single organization can solve alone require collaborative solutions. Our Consortium Model links supply and demand with textile science expertise and development resources that de-risk investments. These cross-sector partnerships connect regional producers with national and global markets.
Both consortia are active. See the work they’re producing.
Workforce Development
People Power
The Textile Innovation Engine addresses critical education and training gaps to prepare workers for today’s modern textile industry.
Learning to Livelihood
We open doors to careers by creating accessible roadmaps to guide current and future workers to workforce development resources and training opportunities.
From mentorships, internships, and apprenticeships (all the “ships”) to micro‑credentials, higher education pathways, and programming for students, the Engine connects students and workers to quality jobs.
Creating Career Pathways
We are modernizing high school textile education to incorporate textile science, technology, and circularity – creating a model for nationwide adoption.
Regional Engagement
Power in Partnership
A revitalized textile industry requires more than technology. It needs a thriving network of partners, policies, and resources working together.
Forging Key Collaborations
Our growing network brings together expertise and resources that enable American manufacturers to leapfrog technological barriers and global competitors. By connecting stakeholders across the value chain, we create a self-reinforcing flywheel of innovation that accelerates growth and ensures long-term industry resilience.
Impact Report
Transforming America’s textile industry takes progress at every stage.
Our 10-year goals are to support 1,400 businesses, convert 2.3 billion pounds of textile waste into circular goods, sustain and create 100,000 jobs, and educate 340,000 students and workers.
The Key Performance Indicators below show where we stand and how work across the Engine is moving us toward those goals.
Textile Innovation Engine Key Performance Indicators Years 0–3
$261M
Leveraged from philanthropic, state, federal, and industry partners
Research
33
Applicants to the FIBR-Tech Fund
9
Patents issued or in process
20
Publications published or in process
4
New universities added to the ecosystem
Translation
2
Working groups formed and Consortia scoped
2
Standards (1 in review, 1 published)
Workforce
1,500
Future and incumbent workers trained
26K
Job-related clicks
13K
Career Map users
106
Resources created for instructors
200
Workers received customized trainings
90
Career & Technical Teachers trained and supported
30
Companies participated in developing AR/VR industry programming
Ecosystem
564
Engine relationships mapped
30
Infrastructure investments
40
Academic invited presentations
Governance
30
Active Advisory Board Members
